THE wife of a murdered Merseyside dad is furious his killer wants to appeal against his sentence.

Devoted family man and former soldier Graham McKenna, 45, was stabbed to death in the street in front of his teenage son as the pair walked to catch a bus to go to an Everton match.

Both were stabbed in the stomach in the attack near their home in Claughton, Wirral, on January 10 but Michael, then 14, survived.

Gary Finlay, of Alexandra Road, Oxton, pleaded guilty to murder and attempted murder and was given two life sentences at Liverpool crown court in July.

Finlay was told he must serve 25 years before being considered for parole but he has now applied to the Court of Appeal in London for permission to appeal to reduce the sentence. A judge will decide whether the appeal can go ahead.

Mr McKenna’s wife Gill said: “I’m absolutely outraged he should even think he could go to appeal after what he’s done. I think the law should be changed because he should have no rights – what rights has Graham got?

“We’re left with the grief and facing every birthday, every Christmas and every song that reminds us of our loss – it’s constant.”

Mrs McKenna thanked friends and neighbours for rallying round and said daughter Amy, who was 19 at the time of the murder, had been an inspiration.

She said: “Everyone in the community has rallied round and the support they’ve given us has been absolutely marvellous.

“Amy’s been incredibly strong. She’s got me through some of the darkest times. I’ve been dreading Christmas but she said ‘no mum, we’re going to do it the way my dad did it’.”

Mr McKenna was in the army for 22 years, serving with the Cheshire Regiment. After leaving in 2005 he got a job with the NHS fitting equipment in patients’ homes.

Mrs McKenna said: “Graham was our world and the kids’ hero. Our pain is never going to go away.”

A Court of Appeal spokesman said Finlay’s application to appeal was “being processed” but no date has been set for a decision.